GET REEL: You'll empty a box of tissues while watching these films

Bob Tremblay @BobTremblay_MW

Sunday

Apr 8, 2018 at 2:00 AMApr 8, 2018 at 10:59 AM

You can measure the effectiveness of a tearjerker in the movie theater by the number of people sobbing and the decibel levels of said sobs. The advantage of watching these types of films at home is you can break down into a weeping ball of goo and not feel embarrassed.

Full disclosure: I cry easily at movies, and have been known to sob. I even got verklempt watching “The Terminator.” OK, that might be an exaggeration, though I’m sure there’s a robot out there somewhere who grieved over the termination of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s homicidal cyborg.

In a movie theater, my wife, who seldom cries at movies, will often look over at me during an emotional scene in a film to see if I’m tearing up. “Are you crying?” she’ll ask, as drops of liquid flow down my face. Thank goodness for the theater’s veil of darkness.

To assist people who enjoy a good cry, I have compiled a list of films that are guaranteed to jerk tears from your eyes with the force of an F12 tornado. Or at least they’ll make you contemplate a sniffle. A word or two of warning: there could be a few spoilers in here.

Due to sorrowful space constraints, we’ll limit the number of films to 10. They are listed in alphabetical order.

“BAMBI” (1942) – Disney animated films have been traumatizing children with the deaths of parents for decades. In fact, the number of Disney films that do not feature the death of at least one parent, or the MIA status of at least one parent, is minuscule.

Thus, this list could contain several Disney films, but “Bambi” is arguably the granddaddy of all animated weepers. If the death of Bambi’s mother doesn’t get to you, check your pulse because it stopped working. “Your mother can’t be with you anymore,” says Bambi’s father. Just typing this gets me moist in the eyes.

“BEACHES” (1988) - OK, I’ll admit that this one didn’t get me bawling since I’m not exactly a member of this film's target audience, but it’s a safe bet that this audience – people of the female persuasion – pulled out a few Kleenex watching this film of long-term friendship.

For devotees, just play “Wind Beneath My Wings” and watch those tears flow. For companion pieces, add “Steel Magnolias,” “Sophie’s Choice” and “Terms of Endearment.”

“FIELD OF DREAMS” (1989) – Since we’re being mildly sexist, here’s a film that hits home with its target audience – people of the male persuasion. Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner), who had a fractured relationship with his father and failed to rectify the situation while his dad was alive, gets a second chance here.

The scene where Kinsella sees his father return to the ball field as a young man and asks to play catch with him is a hankie moment for any male man enough to carry a hankie. As father and son toss the ball back and forth, we finally understand what the mysterious voice really meant when he invoked, “Build it and he will come.”

“MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS” (1944) – This musical gets mentioned here not because of any tragic incident but because of a song sung to a crying little girl by the glorious Judy Garland.

Only the heartless would not get a little emotional as Garland’s Esther Smith sings “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” to Margaret O’Brien’s Tootie Smith. There’s a smidgen of irony here.

“MILLION DOLLAR BABY” (2004) – Here’s one of the many films that turned me into the aforementioned weeping ball of goo.

It’s the scene where Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood) finally tells his boxing protégé, Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank), what his Irish nickname for her means. I won’t spoil this one. Suffice it to say, the scene delivers an uppercut to the tear ducts.

“OLD YELLER” (1957) – Even when Disney makes live action films, the studio can’t resist ripping your emotions to shreds. This film tells the story of a teenage boy and the deep friendship he develops for a stray dog. That would be the title character. If you love dogs, this film may force you to replace your Kleenex with Bounty paper towels. For companion pieces, add “Marley & Me’ and “Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey.”

“ROMEO AND JULIET” (1968) – Just start playing the theme music to this film and I start bawling. Can there be a more passionate pairing than these two star-crossed lovers? Anyone with a scintilla of romance in his or her heart should be saddened, nay, distraught over the tragic circumstances of their untimely demise. “King Lear” also gets to me. A man more sinned against than sinning. The concluding scene with Lear and his daughter Cordelia will wrench a gut forthwith.

“SCHINDLER’S LIST” (1993) – We can begin with the sight of the little girl in the red coat and move on from there. I challenge anyone not to be moved by the film’s final scene where the children whom Schindler saved from Auschwitz return to his grave as adults and place stones on his grave in a sign of commemoration. Director Steven Spielberg rates as a master of drawing emotions from his audience. Another example: “E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial.”

“TOY STORY 2” (1999) – OK, tears are welling up in my eyes now as I recall the scene in this movie that tells Jessie’s back story while Sarah McLachlan sings “When She Loved Me.” Folks with abandonment issues, beware. “Toy Story 3” has sob scenes, too.

“UP” (2009) – The scene at the beginning that details the relationship of Carl and Ellie through the years has to be saddest opening scene in movie history. You usually have to wait for the film’s end for life’s end or some sort of affecting conclusion. Here, the film has you in tears shortly after the opening credits. Things do look up, so to speak, from there.

Last month’s tester: This American actress played an an unstable woman in a 1960s British movie. Clue: Her first film was in the 1950s and in her second film, she served only as the narrator.

Answer: Kim Stanley

Jim Duffy of Ashland was the first and only reader to answer the question correctly. Congratulations!

This month's tester: Who was the recipient of the following note: "I'm so happy and pleased for you. Love, Elizabeth Todd."

The first reader to answer the question correctly will receive a prize.

Trivia enthusiasts can call me at 508-626-4409 or email me at rtremblay@wickedlocal.com. Make sure you leave your name, address and phone number on my message machine or email so I can contact you if you answered the question correctly. The address is needed so winners can be mailed their prize. Callers should spell out their names slowly and clearly so their names will be spelled correctly in the column.

Answers will be accepted until 5 p.m. on April 10. Good luck!

MEA CULPA TIME

In last month's column on great films from 1968, I misspelled the movie "Bullitt" - forget the second "t" as a colleague observantly pointed out.